50991_RA_COVER_ACG 7/13/05 3:30 PM Page 1 INTERNET SOCIETY 2004 ANNUAL REPORT STRENGTHENING THE INTERNET COMMUNITY THROUGH EDUCATION, POLICY, STANDARDS, AND MEMBER ACTIVITIES 50991_RA_C2_C3_ACG 7/15/05 2:34 PM Page 2 OUR VISION TABLE OF CONTENTS The Internet Society believes that the Internet is for everyone. FOREWORD BY LYNN ST. AMOUR, From its inception the mission of the Internet Society has been to promote PRESIDENT AND CEO, INTERNET SOCIETY ............................................1 the open development, evolution, and use of the Internet for the benefit I SOC IN 2004 of all people throughout the world. A YEAR IN REVIEW......................................................................3 People in all parts of the world can use the Internet to improve their quality of life because the standards, technologies, business practices, WHAT IS THE INTERNET SOCIETY? ..................................................8 and government policies connected with the Internet sustain an open universally accessible platform for innovation, creativity, and economic RELATED ORGANISATIONS opportunity. INTERNET ENGINEERING TASK FORCE ................................................10 Complementing its vision of the future is the Internet Society’s vision of its RELATED ORGANISATIONS role in creating that future: As the hub of a global network of individuals PUBLIC INTEREST REGISTRY ..........................................................14 and organisations, the Internet Society is an effective advocate for the core values of an open and accessible Internet. PLANS FOR THE FUTURE ISOC’ S GOALS AND OBJECTIVES......................................................15 MEMBERS, CHAPTERS, AND PARTNERS GLOBAL PRESENCE, LOCAL STRENGTH ..............................................17 FINANCIAL REPORT ..................................................................22 NOTES ON FINANCIAL INFORMATION ..........................................24 FOR MORE INFORMATION ....................................................25 Copyright © Internet Society 2005.All rights reserved. 50991_RA_TEXT_ACG 7/13/05 3:28 PM Page 1 FOREWORD BY LYNN ST. AMOUR FOREWORD BY LYNN ST. AMOUR PRESIDENT AND CEO, INTERNET SOCIETY these discussions, and its close with ISOC partners and specifically organisations as the Regional connections with the organisations targeting decision makers. While Internet Registries, the root behind the development and ISOC has achieved a considerable server operators, and the Internet administration of the Internet degree of success, much remains Corporation for Assigned Names enabled it to bring together many to be done, and the continued and Numbers (ICANN), and we of the key players to cooperate on were pleased to see that our support of all members, Chapters, the important task of explaining combined messages were being and partners is critical. how the Internet works and who heard, reflected on, and repeated makes it work. The Internet These public policy activities by many individuals and organi- Lynn St. Amour, President and CEO, ISOC governance debate meant that further strengthened ISOC’s long- sations responsible for policy proposals that could affect the standing cooperation with such decisions in their regions. The Internet faced a number future stability of the Internet were Together with the Internet of new challenges during 2004. being discussed at the highest community, ISOC has developed and TAmong them were calls to revisit possible levels in national govern- how Internet resources are managed. ments. ISOC welcomed the delivered educational programmes The debate on Internet governance increased interest and participation that support significant outreach —as it came to be known—started of government representatives and during the first phase of the World at the same time realised how and capacity-building efforts. Summit on the Information Society much more needed to be accom- (WSIS) in Geneva at the end of plished in order to foster a common 2003 and continued throughout understanding of how the Internet 2004 in a new forum—the Work- works and how relevant organisa- ing Group on Internet Governance tions have contributed to make the (WGIG)—set up by United Nations Internet so successful. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to During 2004 ISOC placed signifi- prepare the groundwork for the cant focus not only on active partic- second phase of WSIS in 2005. ipation in such forums as WSIS and The Internet Society (ISOC) found WGIG but also on related educa- itself at the centre of many of tional activities, many of them held 1 50991_RA_TEXT_ACG 7/13/05 3:28 PM Page 2 INTERNET SOCIETY 2004 ANNUAL REPORT The year 2004 also saw a continu- to running exemplary registry services. Many of ISOC’s initiatives and members and partners worldwide ation of ISOC’s long-standing initia- programmes are made possible by in 2005 to build upon ISOC’s many ISOC’s ccTLD workshops represent tives related to the development member support. Organisations that successful efforts to date and to just one of the initiatives made of a sustainable Internet capability realise the importance of a stable, work toward a future in which the possible by contributions from in developing countries. Together accessible Internet help resource benefits of the Internet are enjoyed the Public Interest Registry (PIR), with the Internet community, ISOC ISOC activities, and Chapters and extensively by everyone, everywhere. managers of the .ORG gTLD. has developed and delivered educa- Individual Members work to develop PIR supports and enhances ISOC’s tional programmes that support and implement ISOC-supported mission and programmes by significant outreach and capacity- programmes in regional and local contributing to ISOC-managed building efforts. An important goal ISOC is uniquely positioned programmes. communities. Members are very of the programmes is that they important to ISOC, and ISOC thanks to help policy makers not only become self-sustaining by means of As the organisational home of every one for their valued support. a train-the-trainer approach that the Internet Engineering Task Force understand the implications of There is still much to be done, and enables local communities to main- (IETF), ISOC is uniquely positioned I look forward to working with all our Internet technologies but also tain, deliver, and further develop to help policy makers not only education programmes in their understand the implications of build fair and effective Internet regions. Events such as the African Internet technologies but also coordination policies that encourage Network Operators’ Group (AfNOG) build fair and effective Internet in the Africa region and Workshop coordination policies that encourage the development of the Internet para América Latina y el Caribe the development of the Internet for for the benefit of the people (Internet Workshop for Latin America the benefit of the people in their and the Caribbean, or WALC) in countries and regions. in their countries and regions. the Latin America region are good During 2004, ISOC actively sup- examples of how this can work. ported the IETF’s administrative In June, ISOC held the first in a restructuring process. By the end series of new workshops for country- of the year, the IETF community code Top-Level-Domain (ccTLD) had committed to the establishment operators. The workshops, which of an IETF Administrative Support continue ISOC’s long tradition of Activity (IASA) within ISOC. An delivering network training to IASA transition team was formed developing countries, were held to start work on the detailed in response to numerous requests implementation of the new activity, for technical education as well as including the recruitment of an for help with best practices relevant IETF Administrative Director. 2 50991_RA_TEXT_ACG 7/13/05 3:28 PM Page 3 ISOC IN 2004 ISOC IN 2004 A YEAR IN REVIEW During 2004, ISOC continued its ever-growing Workshop INTERNET STANDARDS PUBLIC POLICY to build up activities in several Resource Centre. In response New IETF Administrative Increased policy outreach areas. ISOC-supported programmes D to local needs, a new series of Support Activity (IASA) ISOC participated in several major and projects contributed greatly workshops was launched for ccTLD In late 2003, the Internet forums during 2004, including to increasing technical competence operators, and these turned out to Architecture Board (IAB) set up an meetings related to WSIS, the new as well as to raising awareness of be great additions to the ongoing ad hoc advisory committee to look UN Working Group on Internet policy and social issues concerning Network Training Workshops that into and make recommendations Governance (WGIG), the UN ICT the many facets of the Internet. have been hallmarks of ISOC’s edu- concerning the future administra- (Information and Communication Technology experts, policy makers and business leaders participated in the Following the first phase of the cation efforts in the least-developed Technologies) Task Force, and ICANN. tive needs of the IETF. The commit- INET’04 conference in Barcelona, Spain. World Summit on the Information countries for many years. tee’s report was published in early ISOC’s messages in support of Society (WSIS) in December 2003, maintaining an open Internet were As the organisational home of 2004 as RFC3716 and entitled The there was during 2004 a sharper recognised more widely than ever the IETF, ISOC was asked to provide IETF in the Large: Administration focus than ever before on the before,